


The Last One Standing

by TheCloakedFlea



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, crossing over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27101719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCloakedFlea/pseuds/TheCloakedFlea
Summary: The boys tricked Julie into believing they had crossed over more than 50 years ago, but as Julie is on her deathbed the final remaining Phantom comes to see her.
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and the Phantoms) mentioned, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 16
Kudos: 245





	The Last One Standing

**Author's Note:**

> It’s 3:30 am and I can’t sleep. As I listened to a Spotify playlist of random, and really sad songs, this story came to me. It is chalked full of angst and I hope yall can enjoy the heartbreak I felt writing.
> 
> Also, check out my Tumblr oozing-chemistry for more writing and other JATP stuff!

Luke could tell by the way her breath hitched that she knew he was there. That without even needing to see him, she knew he was there with her.

“You know,” Her voice was raspy and Luke’s heart ached as he slowly walked to stand beside her. “I always had a feeling you boys didn’t cross over.”

“And here I thought we did a pretty good job,” Luke said with a watery laugh as he crouched beside her bedside. He took her hand in his, marveling at how even though 70 years had passed holding her hand still felt as natural and right as it did that first time he was able to.

She coughed, wheezing slightly as she took in a breath. Somehow though she still relinquished some of her remaining strength to squeeze his hand back. Her eyes were warm and full of light, and her smile was still as comforting as it was when she was on the cusp of 16.

“Alex and Willie crossed over together around 30 years ago,” Luke started, “It was sudden, but also not at all unexpected. One moment we were all on the beach, the next it was just Reggie and me.”

“I’m glad they went together,” Julie said with a smaller more thoughtful smile, “they were soul mates.”

“Ever the romantic,” Luke said shaking his head slightly at the girl, now woman’s, words. She laughed slightly, which turned somewhat into a wheeze as her face scrunched up slightly in discomfort.

“Reggie, uh,” Luke began but faltered, “it was just him and I for a while. Then about 15 years ago we walked by the Orpheum and we both knew it was his time. I was barely able to get his name out before he faded out with a smile on his face.”

There was a beat, and then Julie asked, “Why haven’t you crossed over?” Luke reveled in it, missing the fact that she had never been one to beat around the bush. 

“This is because, Julie Molina, you are my unfinished business,” Luke said with a small sad smile and so much emotion behind his words. “Ever since I fell into the studio and laid eyes on you, suddenly it didn’t matter whatever else happened. You became my muse, my light, my life.”

Julie was crying, and so was Luke now. Julie knew, deep down, that in the matter of love Luke would always be her first and last. He was her one great love, her person, and the fact that they couldn’t be together, not while she was alive and he was not, was something she had never truly been able to put behind her. It didn’t matter that she had married, that she had had a family of her own, at the end of the day Luke was hers and she was his. 

“Why did you stay away?” She said through her tears, “God, you don’t know what it was like to lose you.”

“You never lost me,” Luke said as his free hand brushed away a tear, “I was always there. But the boys and I knew we needed to let you grow and move on with your life. Look what you accomplished, look how brightly you shine.”

“There wasn’t a day I didn’t think of you boys,” Julie said with another wheeze, it getting harder for her to breathe or speak, but after just getting him back she didn’t want to let him go again. She had too much she wanted to say.

“It’d be kinda hard to since you named your kids after us,” Luke said with a larger smile, “Although, I think I’ll always be a little bitter little Lucas didn’t actually follow in his mother’s footsteps.”

“He was always better with the behind the scenes stuff,” Julie said with a small laugh, and another wince, at the mention of her eldest son. “Was Alex alright with-”

“He loved Alexandra,” Luke said reassuringly, “He loved her so so much, and he was honored you named your little girl after him. Reggie too, we all loved watching them grow. Watching you grow with them.”

“I saw so much of you three in them,” Julie rasped, her voice getting quieter. They both could tell her time was coming, and Julie’s hand tightened slightly on Luke’s.

“Are you scared?” He asked, his voice lowering as Julie slowly nodded her head. 

“Yes, but I’m excited to see them again. Mom, Dad, Reggie, and Alex.” Julie whispered. “I’m excited for us to all be together again.”

For a moment they sat in silence, listening to Julie’s heart monitor’s beat and Julie's shallow breaths. Luke sat beside her, holding her hand and looking at her with a melancholic smile. 

“Sing for me,” Julie asked Luke after a little while, in a voice almost too low for him to hear, “Please.”

“Alright boss,” He said brushing a strand of hair off her face, trying to memories every little nook and cranny. While her face had been afflicted with age it was still Julie, his Julie, and she was beautiful regardless. 

_“Don’t blink, No, I don’t want to miss it. One thing, and it’s back to the beginning”_

He started to sing softly, a smile filled with bittersweet remembrance making its way onto both of their faces. He sang through the first verse, and as he finished out the chorus her eyes began to flutter close.

His mind transported him back to that night, fighting so hard not to blink out as she sang her whole heart out to him. He could still see her perfectly, behind that piano playing for her life as his part steadily approached.

As those familiar words made it’s way pasted his lips, the rhythmic beating slowly stopped, harmonizing his words with a low and long beat. He felt it then, the warmth that slowly overcame him, welcoming him like an old friend.

And then, he was gone.


End file.
